From
the Editor: Peggy Elliott is Second Vice President of the National Federation
of the Blind and President of the NFB of Iowa. She persuaded Megan O'Rourke
to tell this anecdote, and she wrote an introduction. Here both are:

When she wrote this little story,
Megan O'Rourke was a blind high school senior in New Florence, Missouri, about
to graduate with her high school Class of 2001. It tells volumes about her determination.
Megan lost her sight as a teen-ager and had to decide whether she would face
this change in her life with resignation or fire. Megan obviously chose fire
and lit the first flame under herself. Other blind people easily recognize the
link between learning to read and demanding more of oneself in other areas.
When a blind person cannot do tasks for herself like jotting down notes, larger
life challenges can appear to be insurmountable. Megan met the challenge of
reading and then a bigger, more difficult one. Blind people are sometimes affected
by what President Bush calls the "soft bigotry of lowered expectations,"
and as a result we sometimes demand less of ourselves than we should. Megan
has learned the lesson young and well that she should expect of herself the
highest and best she can imagine. Her few words paint a picture not only of
determination but, unforgettably, of a blind person fully and freely participating
in the life around her. Here is her small, yet very big story:

When I started middle school, my eyesight
began to worsen. I began getting my books on tape and took on the challenge
of learning Braille. It felt as if I were back in kindergarten, learning to
read all over again. But I was determined not to give up on myself. I kept working
hard, and I finally succeeded in learning to read again.

Around this time I also took on another
challenge. I decided to try cheerleading. Many people thought this would be
too much for me to handle, but I was determined to prove them wrong. With a
lot of hard work and patience from the other girls on the squad, I learned everything
I needed to know. I continued cheering into high school and eventually became
captain of the varsity squad my junior and senior years.

To
this day I still smile when my coach describes the reaction of the crowd from
other schools. They are always surprised when I pull out my cane and walk off
the field after cheering at the game.